title: Response and seroconversion rates among HBeAg-positive chronic HBV Egyptian patients treated with peginterferon alpha 2a (Pegasys), a single-centre experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of pegylated interferon alpha-2a 180μg as a treatment for hepatitis B 'e' antigen (HBeAg)-positive genotype D chronic hepatitis B patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients attending the outpatient clinic at the National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute were treated with peg.interferon alpha-2a (180μg) weekly for a period of 48 weeks. Pre-enrolment assessment was performed through biochemical, serological and quantitative HBV DNA testing. Liver biopsy was performed in all patients. Evaluation was done at weeks 12, 24 and 48 of treatment by liver enzymes, complete blood count (CBC), HBeAg/HBeAb and quantitative HBV DNA testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of 48 weeks of treatment only three cases (10%) of the study population showed HBeAg seroconversion and an undetectable HBV DNA level. None of responders exhibited hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg) loss. There were five (16.7%) primary non-responders, four (13.3%) relapsers, four (13.3%) cases flared at week 12, and 14 (46.6%) cases who were non-responders. No specific predictors of response could be identified among patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One year of peg. interferon alpha-2a 180μg weekly led to HBeAg seroconversion and an undetectable HBV DNA level in 10% of cases. Considering the privilege of a finite duration of treatment, tailoring of treatment and proper patient selection is of great importance in considering this therapy as a first line of treatment among HBeAg-positive chronic HBV Egyptian patients.
authors.affiliation: Consultant of Hepatology and Gastroenterology, National Hepatology and Tropical Medicine Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt. szmaklad@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sahar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maklad
authors.forename: Gamal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Esmat
authors.forename: Wahid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Doss
authors.forename: Alaa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abou-Zeid
authors.forename: Sameh Seif
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: El-Din
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D006513:Hepatitis B e Antigens; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a